12.06.18: Here’s what’s missing

IN LAST WEEK’S HINT, we looked at an interview (top) with your new superintendent of schools. As I mentioned then: “…it’s well written and it takes a closer and more personal look at her: her upbringing, her likes and dislikes, details on her family, lots of quotes about your schools and her hopes for moving them forward and fixing problems. It’s an excellent interview.”

But I won’t let you run it. And I asked you why.

Yay, you guys! You got it!

You understand that the package isn’t ready until there’s a photo of the superintendent as part of it. A photo is a must!

Here’s a comment from Don Foy:

“Bring me a picture of the new superintendent. At least a mugshot. Or even a boring shot of her at her desk. But I would prefer one with her interacting with students. Not a lineup. Really talking to them.”

11.29.18: What’s missing?

IN YOUR LAST issue, you published a breaking story about a new superintendent having been named by the school board.

It contained the usual details: age, education, past positions and the like.

And now, you’ve got a full interview with the new super. It’s well written and it takes a closer and more personal look at her: her upbringing, her likes and dislikes, details on her family, lots of quotes about your schools and her hopes for moving them forward and fixing problems. It’s an excellent interview.

But I won’t let you run it…not the way it’s prepared here.

Why would I make you hold it? What’s the one critical element that’s missing?

I trashed the email…but held onto the pullout as a prime example of gobbledygook (defined here).

I think they mean that they want to help me work out a plan to keep bad things from happening to my business. Maybe?

Perhaps you can come up with a better translation. Perhaps not.

Either way, writing like this is a guarantee that I’ll never have anything to do with this company. Stilted, cluttered, gobbledygookian language like this is a sure sign of people who can’t think clearly. And if I want help with my business, I want it to come from people who can think clearly.